Case 224 wont start with key

Okay, just got a Case 224 tractor that didn't run at all. I finally cleaned the carb and fixed the points and coil and it runs, but only if you jump it to the starter generator. Now, I vaguely remember a friend having one that was positive ground. I have it hooked up negative ground now and it runs, but no crank with key. How should it be wired? Also, it leaks hydraulic fluid somewhere. I bypassed the deck lift cylinder because the hoses were leaking, but I have a feeling its something else as well. What are common places they tend to leak? Thanks!

You should have a starter solenoid similar to this one in pic on your tractor that supply's cranking voltage to the S/G just when cranking. It could be defective. Hal

Here's how it works.

First off, the tractor is negative to ground.

Secondly, I'm going to assume that you still have the correct start solenoid in this tractor and not some solenoid designed for a Ford car. They look the same but they are not wired the same internally.


When you turn the keyswitch to the "START" position, juice is supposed to flow to one of the small terminals on the solenoid shown in the photo. It doesn't matter which terminal.

The other small terminal must find ground in order for the solenoid to pull in. This is where the safety switches come in because they interrupt the grounding of the solenoid if the PTO lever is not fully disengaged and the travel lever is not in the "Neutral" position.

In order to determine where the problem is, use a piece of wire to bypass the safety switches temporarily. Put one end of that wire to the negative battery terminal and hook the other end to the small terminal on the solenoid that does NOT go to the ignition switch. Usually, that terminal has a black wire on it.

Try the keyswitch and see if the tractor starts. If it does, then that means everything is OK but you have a safety switch issue. Do yourself and your loved ones a favour and fix the safety switch. They're there for a good reason. Follow that wire down to the PTO safety switch. Make sure that it is attached to the switch. Make sure that the wire on the other side of that switch is attached. That wire goes from there to the neutral switch just under the dash where the travel lever is. You will see two tiny carriage bolt heads on the dash. These are what secure the neutral switch.

There is a short piece of round rod that moves across the neutral switch whenever you move the travel lever. This rod comes in contact with a brass rivet in the center of the neutral switch and provides the needed ground. Sometimes it's a defective switch and sometimes it's just rust, corrosion or too much wear in the travel lever components to make a good ground.

If it does not start with the jumper wire, then the likely problem is the start solenoid. These can be had from the link below. They are "isolated ground" solenoids, not "case grounded" solenoids. Buying one from the link below will ensure that you get the correct type for your tractor.

New neutral switches cost less than thirty bucks and you can order one on-line from the link below. I strongly urge you to use the serial number of your tractor to obtain the correct Operator's Manual and Parts Manual for your tractor because those two books will be invaluable in helping you keep this tractor in good repair. It will be the best thirty bucks you ever spent.

It's anybodies guess as to the hydraulic leak. It could be the front seal on the pump or a loose clamp on the suction line. The best thing to do is to give this tractor a good wash to remove all the dirt, grease and whatever else is covering the parts so that you can trace where the oil is originating from.
Parts

Check the safety switches, one for nuetral located on the travel lever and one on the pto engagement linkage behind the dash. Power is routed through the switch and both of these in series to the solenoid. The solenoid looks like a Ford but is NOT, as the two small terminals are used differently. The Ford is grounded through the case while the Case version is grounded through one of the small terminals in series with the safety switches.

On my tractor I only use one of the small terminals on the solenoid. That's on then left as you view the picture. You should hear that solenoid click when turning the key to start.

If you have safety switches you can jumper them with a piece of wire with gator clips to find which one is defective, then replace it. Hal

The reason El Toro only uses one of the small terminals is because he has a Ford starter relay in his tractor and not the correct Case solenoid. As such, the all-important safety switches have been defeated thus allowing a child or any unsuspecting adult to start this tractor while the mower deck is fully engaged and/or the tractor is in either forward or reverse.

Some people think that they are smarter than the engineers at the factory and deliberately bypass safety switches while others are simply ignorant or too cheap to install the correct solenoid so that the safety switches remain intact. Every year, thousands upon thousands of adults and children end up in the emergency rooms of hospitals as a direct result of injuries related to lawn mowers and lawn/garden tractors.

Defeating safety switches is stupid. Find out whether you have a defective solenoid, bad connection or a non-operating safety switch and then replace the defective part with an OEM unit. If something really bad happens to anyone as a result of you not repairing this tractor properly, you'll never forgive yourself.

I don't have a Case garden tractor. Mine is a Wards made by Gilson. Hal
PS: The solenoid on my tractor has nothing to do with the safety switch.

El Toro,
I don't mean to be disrespectful but this thread IS about a problem with a Case tractor, not a Monkey Wards. Obviously, the wiring in your tractor is quite different to the wiring in a Case so perhaps it would have been a good idea for you to disclose that information.

After all, the OP is trying to solve a problem with his make of tractor and your post talks about a solenoid that is totally different to the one he has. How is that helpful?

I gave him a procedure for finding the problem by using jumper wires on his safety switches until he gets the engine started and remove one jumper at a time. All the solenoid does is feed battery voltage to the S/G. Hal

Here's a Kohler wiring diagram with the starter/generator setup. I have a manual that covers the Case 224, but there's no wiring diagram. Hal

Kudo's for posting what you did. Unfortunately, neither diagram represents the wiring in a Case tractor.

I don't know what year the OP's tractor is but the diagram in the link below is A-typical of most of the early Case tractors that have the starter/generator.

Just scroll down to actual page 60 of the parts book or page 32 of the PDF which can be enlarged as needed.

The OP needs to invest in the correct Operator's Manual. Those have proper schematics in them.
Wiring diagram